Liverpool close in on Van Dijk deal

Liverpool have been tipped to win the race to sign Virgil van Dijk in a world record £70m deal for a defender.

Manchester City have stepped up their interest in the defender but it seems that Liverpool is the most likely destination when the transfer window opens next week.

According to a report in The Metro a transfer seems certain next month with Celtic set to pick up at least £5m from the sell on clause that they agreed when they sold van Dijk to Southampton in August 2015.

Southampton were furious with the way Liverpool tried to do business during the summer but van Dijk has been left out of their last three matches.

With Saints sitting in the bottom half of the table and shipping five goals to Spurs yesterday it looks like an early deal could be in the interests of all parties.

Celtic signed van Dijk from Groninigen for £2.5m in 2013 and sold him two years later to Southampton, at the time the fee was reported to be £10m but over time it has drifted upwards to £13m.